What do middle-aged couples do for fun in the greater Philadelphia area? (Chester: waterpark, crime)

[LookingforFireflies]

That article was amazing!!! Very informative and gave me a sense of the changing perceptions of some Philly schools, but even more, it spoke to me because I understood all the racial nuances in the word "integration". I am both a white mom of two fairly dark kids (when they were younger, their friends who had never met me didn't even know they were mixed) and because the subject I taught for 20+ years was US history (I just recently left the classroom and went into guidance counseling; my husband is still in the thick of it teaching biology). I really loved Ashanti Martin's quote “...they are sort of imposing their vision of what a good school is.” Unless you really study race, this is hard for a lot of people to understand. It's not enough to say you embrace all cultures, you have to really mean it. You have to accept cultural groups for who they are... good, bad and ugly. If they don't do things the way you do, tough! Get over it. They don't want to be like you, nor do they need to. When I read the first paragraph I internalized it personally because I have spent a great deal of my adult life being the only white person in the room. Of course in most of those situations I've been surrounded by my in-laws who love me unconditionally, but we have certainly been to Jamaican restaurants or social functions where people are looking at me, wondering why I'm there or possibly annoyed that I'm invading their safe space. But I completely understand it; I'm an educated empath :-) These issues are one of the reasons we moved down to South Florida. We just didn't want our kids to deal with race at all. Everyone down here is mixed with something: Cuban, Jamaican, Haitian, Italian, Mexican, Dominican, Columbian, Trinidadian, Seminole... Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Christian... and no one really has expectations of others. It's too diverse to expect one group to conform to another, because there's no "one group". Not by a long shot. Even though it's a former Confederate state, Broward, Miami and Palm Beach show only moderate vestiges of hardened racism here and there, and we are really insulated from the more conservative areas. HOWEVER, being this far south, we have to take the good with the bad. Good = racial harmony. Bad = ridiculously hot and humid climate.

I honestly have no idea if we'll find teaching jobs in PA. My husband is an amazing science teacher, and black (much more marketable), but for me, I'd like to stay in guidance counseling/behavior health - which is not easy to find. The other issue is our retirement. We have a vested retirement in Florida which we can freeze and collect when we reach retirement age, but coming in new to PA's retirement, we would be forced into the stock market option which seems really risky. We have a lot to work out and will have to speak to a retirement specialist in both states before we do anything drastic. But both of us are dead set on moving sooner rather than later. We still have 13-15 years left to teach. For us, that's too many years to remain in Florida full-time.

[Truth11]

They move to the suburbs...maybe farther.

[Physics Guy]

Originally Posted by Truth11

They move to the suburbs...maybe farther.

I'll bite. Why? More importantly, what do middle aged couples do for fun in the farther out suburbs that they can't do in the city/closer in suburbs?

[Truth11]

Originally Posted by Physics Guy

Why? More importantly, what do middle aged couples do for fun in the farther out suburbs that they can't do in the city/closer in suburbs?

The city is a place for the young explorers,the partiers. I don't see many older ones jaunting about there,they're mostly in the slower paced suburban towns.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by Truth11

The city is a place for the young explorers,the partiers. I don't see many older ones jaunting about there,they're mostly in the slower paced suburban towns.

To the contrary, the city is a popular place for empty nesters to enjoy the wonderful arts, renowned restaurants and increased walkability among other benefits. *Someone* is buying these seven-figure/high-six figure homes downtown and it ain't all "young explorers and partiers".

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by FindingZen

To the contrary, the city is a popular place for empty nesters to enjoy the wonderful arts, renowned restaurants and increased walkability among other benefits. *Someone* is buying these seven-figure/high-six figure homes downtown and it ain't all "young explorers and partiers".

Yup. It's proven that a majority of the super luxury condo units in the city are sold to empty nesters from the burbs looking to downsize in a more lively atmosphere.

Living in the city isn't all about 20 somethings partying. Philadelphia is a large city with a cosmopolitan downtown. Many people (old and young) appreciate close proximity to great food, arts, culture, etc. I am in my 30s and don't plan to ever live in the burbs.

And FYI, Truth11 doesn't like Philadelphia. They resurrected an old Chicago vs. Philly thread and called Philly a soulless dump... The post was deleted by a mod.

[Truth11]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Truth11 doesn't like Philadelphia. They resurrected an old Chicago vs. Philly thread and called Philly a soulless dump... The post was deleted by a mod.

Of course...still doesn't mean I don't have a point. I don't buy all the constant cheerleading of people who,to my point,probably don't even live in the city and just dive in for a weekend of partying and then head back to their quiet suburbs.

[bridge12]

Originally Posted by Truth11

Of course...still doesn't mean I don't have a point. I don't buy all the constant cheerleading of people who,to my point,probably don't even live in the city and just dive in for a weekend of partying and then head back to their quiet suburbs.

You've clearly never been to a civic association meeting in Rittenhouse, Wash West, or Society Hill. Those neighborhoods are run by and dominated with retired boomers.

[mphilly]

Originally Posted by Truth11

Of course...still doesn't mean I don't have a point. I don't buy all the constant cheerleading of people who,to my point,probably don't even live in the city and just dive in for a weekend of partying and then head back to their quiet suburbs.

I think it’s clearly you who is never in the city, not the people that are cheerleading. If you’d come here you’d realize that there are many empty nesters that now live in the city.

There’s no doubt that due to the school system a lot of parents leave but a lot come back once the kids are gone.

[Truth11]

Originally Posted by mphilly

I think it’s clearly you who is never in the city, not the people that are cheerleading. If you’d come here you’d realize that there are many empty nesters that now live in the city.

I've done 15 years hard time in all areas of the city,not just the 'nice' areas like Rittenhouse. Even so,the crime rate is rising all the time and spilling into areas like center city where it wasn't before.